Sua Sponte
Latin for “Of Their Own Accord”
The 75th Ranger Regiment’s Motto
 
Army Rangers are not born. They are made. The modern 75th Ranger Regiment represents the culmination of 250 years of American soldiering. As a fighting force with our nation’s oldest and deepest tradition, the Regiment traces its origins to Richard Rogers’s Rangers during the prerevolutionary French and Indian War, through the likes of Francis Marion and John Mosby, to the five active Ranger battalions of the Second World War, and finally, to the four battalions of the current Ranger regiment engaged in modern combat.
 
Granted unprecedented access to the training of this highly restricted component of America’s Special Operations Forces in a time of war, retired Navy captain Dick Couch tells the personal story of the young men who begin this difficult and dangerous journey to become Rangers. Many will try, but only a select few will survive to serve in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Sua Sponte follows a group of these aspiring young warriors through the crucible that is Ranger training and their preparation for direct-action missions in Afghanistan against America’s enemies, anywhere, any time, and under any conditions.

INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHS “A detailed and vivid look at how the Army Rangers train for war.”—Larry Bond, author of Exit Plan

"[Couch's] chronicle of the rigorous training that develops a young soldier into a young apprentice Ranger is detailed, accurate, and captivating."—General W. F. "Buck" Kernan, U.S. Army (Ret.)

"A great read that describes how the reputation of Rangers, now burnished with the exploits of the current generation in Afghanistan and Iraq, reflects the leaders that select and mold them."—General Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Army (Ret.)

"A wonderfully graphic account of the gut-busting ordeal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger in the 75th Ranger Regiment...Earning the tan beret is, quite simply, a test of manhood—only those with ample stocks of strength, stamina, commitment, and valor need apply."—Linda Robinson, author of Masters of Chaos

"Granted unprecedented access, Couch follows a Ranger class through to its departure for the battlefield...An admiring, inspiring account of how the Army shapes and sharpens the tip of its spear."—Kirkus Reviews